Year: 2021

lev radin / Shutterstock.comEditor’s Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder.Jeff Bezos is now a retiree. Kinda, sorta, that is.
Bezos officially stepped down from his role as Amazon CEO on July 5, after announcing his plans to resign in February. As he stepped away from steering the company he founded in 1994, his net worth was $211 billion, making him the richest person on the planet.
At 57, Bezos is seven years younger than the average retiring worker in America, who calls it quits at 64. The median net worth for someone between the ages of 55 to 64 is $212,500. That means Bezos retired with roughly $210,999,787,500 more than his peers.

Just to be clear, Bezos isn’t totally retiring. Like a lot of early retirees, he’s transitioning to a different type of work. He’ll still serve as executive chairman of Amazon. He’ll devote more of his time to passion projects, like fighting climate change and overseeing The Washington Post.
He’ll also celebrate his new chapter with a big trip: He’s planning an 11-minute getaway into space when his rocket company, Blue Origin, does its first human spaceflight this month.
So yeah, suffice it to say that Bezos’ retirement is going to look a lot different from yours. Still, it’s possible for regular people to pull off an early retirement like Amazon’s founder.
5 Things to Expect if You Retire Early (and You’re Not Jeff Bezos)
wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock.comRetiring early used to be a lot more affordable for middle-class people because pension plans were widespread. But today, you’re most likely to retire with a defined-benefit plan — which means you’re guaranteed a retirement benefit — if you work in public service. Otherwise, you’ll need to live off your retirement savings, Social Security benefits and any other income sources you have, like earnings from a part-time job.
If you’re planning to retire early, you need to be prepared for the financial realities that members of the three-comma club don’t have to worry about. Here are five things to expect if you’re a non-billionaire who wants to retire early.
1. Health Care Costs Will Be Expensive
Burlingham / Shutterstock.comBillionaires like Bezos obviously don’t have to worry about paying for health care. But for ordinary folks, medical expenses in retirement are a big concern. Typically, you aren’t eligible for Medicare until age 65. Paying for private health insurance when you’re in your 50s and 60s can take a big bite out of your budget.
According to ValuePenguin, a Silver Plan purchased from a national or state marketplace created under the Affordable Care Act costs $1,016 a month for the average 60-year-old. Someone who’s 64 can expect a monthly premium of $1,123. Health care costs typically rise faster than overall inflation, so if you want to retire early, it’s essential to budget for medical expenses.

2. You’ll Actually Have to Pay Taxes
Dragon Images / Shutterstock.comBillionaires like Bezos, Warren Buffett and Elon Musk recently made headlines when ProPublica reported that the richest Americans pay just a tiny fraction of their incomes in taxes. According to the report, Bezos’ “true tax rate,” i.e., the amount he paid on his growth in wealth, was just 0.98% each year for 2014 to 2018.
Ordinary people can expect to be taxed at a much higher rate than Bezos, even in retirement. Withdrawals from traditional 401(k)s and traditional IRAs are taxed at ordinary income rates. In many cases, you’ll be hit with a 10% penalty if you take a distribution from your retirement accounts before age 59 ½.
Even your Social Security benefits aren’t off-limits. Up to 85% of your benefit is taxable if you’re a single filer with more than $34,000 of income or you’re married filing jointly with an income above $44,000. Of course, you can still work when you collect Social Security, but there are limits to that.

3. Social Security Planning Is Tricky
fizkes / Shutterstock.comBezos probably hasn’t given a lot of thought to his Social Security claiming strategy. That’s a luxury ordinary people don’t have. About half of seniors rely on Social Security for at least 50% of their income, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The average Social Security check in 2021 is $1,543 a month.
Deciding when to take Social Security gets extra complicated if you’re retiring early. Financial planners often recommend waiting as long as possible to start taking benefits. Waiting until age 70 results in a monthly benefit that’s 76% higher than you’d get if you started benefits as early as possible, which is generally age 62. But if you no longer have a paycheck, you may have no choice but to start benefits early.
Keep in mind that Social Security cost-of-living adjustments are puny compared to the actual cost increases seniors face. In 2021, Social Security benefits rose by just 1.3%. Taking benefits early could stretch your budget to the limits in your later retirement years. Your benefits won’t keep up with inflation, so they’ll pay for less and less over time.

4. You May Have to Choose Between Early Retirement and Helping Your Kids
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet / Shutterstock.comBillionaires don’t have to make hard choices like saving more for retirement versus helping your kids save for college. But you probably do.
Most people only have so much money they can afford to invest. When you’re planning to retire early, you need a nest egg that can sustain you for at least 30 to 40 years. A general rule of thumb is that you should plan to replace 70% to 80% of your pre-retirement income.
If you’re serious about retiring early, that may mean you can’t contribute to a 529 plan for your children or grandchildren, or help out with their tuition. It’s essential to be upfront in this situation and communicate as early as possible with your kids about your plans.

5. Early Retirement Isn’t Always a Choice
Ricardo Reitmeyer / Shutterstock.comNo matter how carefully you’ve fine-tuned your retirement plans, life can pull a whammy on you. By some estimates, as many as half of all older workers are forced to retire earlier than they planned due to illness, layoffs and caregiving responsibilities.
When you aren’t rich, a forced retirement can devastate your finances. Even if you want to work as long as possible, it’s essential that you plan for the possibility of an earlier retirement. That means saving and investing as much as your budget allows during your working years, since your retirement could be longer than you expect.

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Africa Studio / Shutterstock.comYes, your pet is just like family. But you don’t need to waste money caring for your furry friend.
The American Pet Products Association estimates that in 2021, U.S. pet owners will have spent an estimated $109.6 billion on their pets.
Don’t go crazy adding extra cash to that total. Instead, consider these ideas to keep your pet and your budget happy.

1. Look for low-priced vet care
Syda Productions / Shutterstock.comThere is a host of no-cost and low-cost animal medical care providers. They offer inexpensive vaccinations, spaying, neutering and more.
Contact rescue or other animal-welfare groups, including the one where you adopted your pet. You can get a rundown of animal shelters and rescue groups in your area at Petfinder.com. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) also has a list of low-cost spay and neuter programs for which your pet may qualify.

The Humane Society has a list of charities that provide needy pet owners with financial assistance for the medical care of pets. Click on your state to find a charity near you.
2. Consider pet insurance
Vitalinka / Shutterstock.com
As we’ve previously reported, the cost of pet health insurance depends on many variables, including your pet’s species and breed, where you live and your pet’s age.
To give you an idea, the average accident and illness premium for dogs was $594.15 annually in 2020, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. For cats, it was $341.81.
Such insurance can make sense if your pet is a member of a breed that has a history of high-cost medical needs.

3. Don’t forget to coupon
Anton27 / Shutterstock.comSome major coupon sites that often have pet food and supplies include Coupons.com, The Krazy Coupon Lady and Living Rich With Coupons.
Check online pet food suppliers, too, including Chewy and EntirelyPets. They often offer major discounts on prescription food and other in-demand products.
If you are signed up for cash-back sites — such as Rakuten, Swagbucks or Mr. Rebates — you can save even more on your online pet supply purchases in the form of a cash-back check. If you’re not signed up for one or all of these sites, you are missing out on a painless way to save money online. Check them out.
Also read: “8 Ways to Save Money on Pet Food.”
4. Consider boarding alternatives
PongMoji / Shutterstock.comRather than pay to board your dog or cat when you go out of town, consider taking your pet with you on trips. PetsWelcome helps you find animal-friendly accommodations.
Also, check with Rover or with your veterinarian to find a low-cost, in-home pet-sitter. Or, arrange to swap pet-sitting duties with friends who also need their pets cared for when they’re away from home.
5. Create low-cost toys
Konstantin Aksenov / Shutterstock.comRetailers sell a variety of pet toys at a high cost, but it’s just as easy to devise low-cost alternatives. You can make a cat scratching post by wrapping sisal rope around a post. A twisted towel can make a great toy for tug-of-war with a dog.
Just make sure you avoid toys or materials that could prove toxic or result in choking. Talk to your vet or those at local animal shelters for other ideas.
6. Prioritize prevention
Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock.comAs with humans, pets are less likely to need expensive medical attention if they have good health habits.
Get the recommended immunizations for your pets, stick with recommended dog and cat foods, keep cats indoors and make sure dogs get the exercise they need.
Be aware of the common hazards your species and breed face. Check out “10 Pet Dangers You Don’t Know About.” Get tips from the animal-safety advocates at American Humane.

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Khosro / Shutterstock.comNetflix streaming had its biggest year ever in 2020, picking up 37 million new subscribers worldwide. But that was while everyone was trapped at home.
Signs so far in 2021 suggest “Netflix may be headed toward a lackluster year,” according to an Associated Press report.
As the pandemic recedes and people move on with their lives, many of us are re-evaluating our habits and spending. And some people might find that Netflix is no longer a good fit for them, for all kinds of reasons.

Here are some of the biggest reasons to reconsider Netflix.
1. You want to spend more time on hobbies
Nenad Aksic / Shutterstock.comIt’s all too easy to wrap up work for the day and make for the couch — and then spend the entire evening there, binge-watching a new show.
If you often find your free time evaporating, or wish you had more time for things you used to enjoy, ask yourself if Netflix is to blame.
Canceling Netflix for a hobby isn’t just a way to save money and time. It could also lengthen your life, as we detail in “7 Hobbies That Help You Live Longer.”
2. Price hikes are driving you away
Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock.comLate last year, Netflix announced it was hiking the price of its standard plan to $14 per month. The price has increased by 40% in five years — back in 2016, a standard plan was just $10 per month.
Are you ready to spend even more on these shows? Are you getting 40% more value than you were five years ago?
3. There’s not enough to watch
eeinosiva / Shutterstock.comDepending on your interests and how much time you’ve spent watching Netflix already, you might find there aren’t enough new shows to justify the ongoing cost.
This is where it pays to be honest with yourself. Maybe you’ve gotten your money’s worth for now and you should just unsubscribe. There’s no reason you can’t come back later when a bunch of new stuff is out.

4. There’s too much to watch
fizkes / Shutterstock.comOn the other hand, maybe you’re coming to realize entertainment has completely gotten away from you lately: You’ve fallen behind on the shows your friends are talking about, and you don’t have time or energy to catch up.
There’s no reason to continue paying for something you aren’t using. Again, this doesn’t have to be a permanent change. It might just make sense to have a Netflix “detox” for a while and then subscribe again when your friends get invested in something brand-new that you want to keep up with.
5. It’s bad for your relationship
New Africa / Shutterstock.comIs your partner over Netflix and chill and more likely to say “chill out with the Netflix already”? You’re not alone.
Multiple studies have tried to identify how often Netflix dampens the mood. Research from economics professors at Reed College and the University of Delaware found people who own a TV are 6% less likely to have had sex in the past week. That study was based on more than 4 million people across 80 countries.
A separate survey from The Wall Street Journal found 12% of respondents believed streaming habits were responsible for less-frequent sex.
6. It’s bad for your brain
Koraysa / Shutterstock.comWe’ve probably all heard someone concerned about kids watching too much TV. But what about middle-aged adults?
As we recently covered in “Here’s What Watching TV in Midlife Does to Your Brain,” people ages 45 to 64 who watch TV too frequently “see greater declines in cognitive function and reduced gray matter volumes in their brains later in life.”
7. Your favorite show is over
ViDI Studio / Shutterstock.comAll good things come to an end — whether it’s a new program or Netflix’s licensing agreement for an old favorite.
If you’ve become overly familiar with Netflix’s “Last day to watch on Netflix” messages or just don’t see any of the things you miss coming back, it could be time to cancel your subscription.
8. You want to try alternative services
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.comBy at least one metric, Netflix is no longer the most popular streaming service.
As we wrote in “The 10 Most Popular Streaming TV Services,” Disney+ was the most downloaded video-on-demand mobile app in 2020. While Disney was a relative latecomer to the streaming game, thanks to a decades-deep library of films and shows and enormous investment in new content, Disney clearly has caught up.
However, Disney+ is far from the only service in town. Check out “13 Streaming TV Services That Cost $20 a Month — or Less” and see if there’s a better fit for you.

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Monika Wisniewska / Shutterstock.comEditor’s Note: This story originally appeared on SmartAsset.com.For years, financial experts have suggested a target retirement savings goal of $1 million. But when you consider things like inflation, the rising cost of health care and longer life expectancies, that amount of money may not go as far as you think.
Aiming for $2 million in retirement savings might be more realistic or even necessary to enjoy the type of lifestyle you want. But is it possible to retire with $2 million, and if so, how much do you need to save and invest annually? And can you retire with $2 million if you’re getting a late start on saving or don’t make that much money?
Here’s an overview of the careful planning and work needed to reach $2 million.

Why Retire With $2 Million?
Aaron Amat / Shutterstock.comSaving $1 million for retirement may seem like more than enough money, especially if you’re contemplating a more frugal lifestyle. For example, if you plan to downsize your home, cut out frivolous spending and maintain good health to curb medical costs, then you might assume you can easily get by on $1 million.
However, it’s important to consider how far $1 million for retirement can really go. Even if you’re supplementing your savings with Social Security benefits, a pension or annuity, there are certain things you may have no control over that could derail your retirement plans.
Developing a serious illness, for example, could lead to a stay in a long-term care facility. If you don’t have a long-term care insurance policy, the cost of living in a nursing home could drastically undercut your retirement savings.
Then there are other things like inflation and market volatility to account for. When prices for consumer goods and services rise, your purchasing power diminishes. That means your money doesn’t go as far. If inflation is paired with market volatility which affects the value of some of your investments, that could lead to losses which means less money for you to live on.
And of course, you have to factor in longevity. As living to 90, 95 or even 100 becomes the norm, that can put a strain on a $1 million nest egg. Without proper planning and budgeting, it’s possible that you could run out of money sooner rather than later. All of those things can make saving $2 million for retirement a more attractive goal.
How to Retire With $2 Million
Photoroyalty / Shutterstock.comIf you want to retire with $2 million or more to your name, there are certain things you’ll need to do to make it happen. Otherwise, you may fall short of your goal. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind as you map out your retirement savings strategy.

Estimate Your Retirement Budget
fizkes / Shutterstock.comThe first step in saving $2 million for retirement is determining whether that’s a good number to aim for, based on what you plan to spend later. Creating a hypothetical retirement budget can help you estimate what you’ll spend year to year and what your target retirement withdrawal rate should be.
Your retirement budget should include the normal costs of living, including:
Housing
Utilities
Food
Transportation
But you may also need to include medical and health care spending as well as any money you plan to spend to maintain a certain lifestyle. For example, that might include travel expenses or money you spend on hobbies.
Also, consider where debt fits into your retirement budget. If you want to retire with $2 million and no debt, then you’ll have to figure out you can save and pay down debt aggressively during your working years.
Consider Your Timeline
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.comOnce you have a retirement budget in mind, the next step is breaking down your $2 million savings goal. This is as simple as estimating how long you have to save, based on your current age and when you hope to retire. For example, if you’re 25 now and want to retire at 65, you’ll have 40 years to save and invest. You’ll have to grow your portfolio by $50,000 a year on average. This includes money you contribute directly and the earnings on your investment portfolio.
If you’re getting a late start, say at age 35 instead, you’ll need to decide whether retiring at 65 with $2 million is a realistic goal. Having 30 years to save means you’d need to increase your portfolio by $66,666 a year on average. If you don’t think you can do that at your current savings rate and rate of return, then you may need to consider waiting until 70 or 75 to retire in order to hit the $2 million mark.
Use Tax-Advantaged Plans
Myvisuals / Shutterstock.comTax-advantaged plans are the first place you may look to start saving for retirement. If you have a 401(k) plan at work and you want to save $2 million for retirement, maxing out contributions each year could help you get there. If your plan includes an employer matching contribution, that’s free money that you can add to the retirement savings pot.
After 401(k) or similar plans, you might consider an individual retirement account next. Whether it makes sense to choose a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA can depend on your current tax situation and where you expect to be tax-wise in retirement.
If you’re in a higher tax bracket now, you might find the deduction allowed for traditional IRA contributions valuable. Of course, this depends on whether you expect to be in a lower tax bracket when you retire, at which time you’d have to pay taxes on withdrawals from your IRA.
On the other hand, you may choose a Roth IRA if you anticipate being in a higher tax bracket in retirement. And with $2 million or potentially more saved, it’s possible that you might be, based on how much you withdraw each year. In that case, you may benefit more from being able to take tax-free withdrawals from a Roth IRA.
Invest in Stocks With an Online Brokerage Account
Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock.comContributing to a workplace retirement plan or IRA is a starting point but you may need to expand your investment options to reach your $2 million retirement goal. Opening an online brokerage account allows you to continue building your portfolio, beyond the annual contribution limits for tax-advantaged plans.
You can use a brokerage account to invest in stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Some brokerages also offer bonds, futures, options and even cryptocurrency trading, if you’re looking for more ways to diversify.
Investing in stocks is particularly important if you’re trying to retire with $2 million because they offer the best potential for growth compared to other investments. Stocks are riskier, but the longer your time horizon is for investing, the more time your portfolio has to recover from periods of volatility.
When choosing an online brokerage, be sure to pay attention to the investment selection as well as the fees you’ll pay to trade. Ideally, the brokerage you choose offers commission-free stock and ETF trades, which can allow you to keep more of the returns you’re earning from those investments.
Increase Your Savings Rate Year to Year
Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.comSaving 10% to 15% of your income is a commonly accepted rule of thumb for retirement planning. But saving that amount may not be enough if you’re trying to reach $2 million in assets by the time retire.
Instead, you may need to save 20%, 30% or even more of your income to hit the target. If you can’t afford to invest that much of your income now, you can increase your savings rate year to year. For example, if you’re saving in a 401(k) and you get a 2% pay raise each year you can divert that extra 2% to your retirement account. Or as you pay off debts, you can redirect the money you were using for those payments to your online brokerage account.
The Bottom Line
Dragon Images / Shutterstock.comRetiring with $2 million can increase your financial security tomorrow if you’re willing to put in the effort to save and invest today. Whether it’s possible for you to retire with $1 million, $2 million or more can depend on the details of your financial situation.

Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.
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